Apparatus for using powdered fuel.



W. H. STEVENS.

APPARATUS FOR USING PQWDERED FUEL:

APPLICATION FILED NAILS! I916.

Patented Dec. 9,1919.

WH'NESS: A W/ ff NV INTOR. w

- ATTORN IVS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. STEVENS, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR USING POWDERED FUEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. S'mvnus, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Using Powdered Fuel, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to apparatus for using powdered fuel which apparatus is designed particularly for use inconnection with locomotives, but is not. limited to use in that relation. The invention has for its priinary objects the provision of a powdered fuel feeding apparatus, ,(1) which is extremely simple in construction and readily applicable to existing types'of locomot? es,

(2) which does not require auxiliary blower means to secure a feed of the fuel, and (3) which provides for a proper mixture of fuel and air and a proper distribution of the fuel in the fire-box. Certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompany ing drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a construction embodying my invention and Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, the reference numeral 1 indicates the rear end of a locomotive boiler provided with the usual fire-box 2 and the fire-tubes 3 leading to the smoke box at the front end of the locomotive. The lower side of the fire-box is closed by means of the refractory wall 4 and spaced above this wall 4-is a fire arch 5 supported on the usual water tubes 6.

The fire-box is preferably closed, and the draft produced in the smoke box is relied upon to draw the powdered fuel and the necessary air into the combustion chamber. The coal and air. are preferably supplied through the three upwardly and forwardly inclined tubes 7,8 and 9 all leading into the main supply tube 10, it being understood that the number of supply tubes may be varied to suit requirements. of the tube 10 is divided into four branches 11 (Fig. 2) which branches lead into the cross 12. I

The crossl). has an air inlet at 13 and a coal inlet at 14, the coal being fed by means Specification of Letters Patent.

The rear end Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

Application filed man 31, 191e. Serial No. 87,963.

of the screw 15 leading from a coal hopper on the tender. The cross also opens into the collector or hopper 16 to which leads a pipe 17 from an air reservoir, such pipe being controlled by means of a valve 18 operated from a handle 19'.-

WVhen the engine is running normally the 1 draft produces a suction in the pipe 10 and an inflow of air at 13 which carries substantially all of the coal fed into the cross to the right into the furnace. When the engine is runningslowly, however, and the draft imulses from the exhaust nozzle are separated y greater intervals, some of the coal will fall into the receptacle 16 instead of being fed through the pipe 10. The coal which collects in the receptacle is fed back into the cross 12 by means of air pressure from the pipe 17, the operator opening the valve 18 atintervals to clean out the receptacle 16.

The utilization of the draft from the smoke box to secure the necessary feed of coal and air is advantageous, since it eliminates the complications incident to the provision of a blower or fan and the necessary operating motor. The provision of the plurality of tubes 11 serves the function of securing a better mixing, of the coal and air than would be the case it only a single tube of larger size were employed, such as a continuation of the tube 10 to the cross 12. The tubes 7, 8 and 9 direct the fuel beneath the fire arch, which arrangement tends to cause a precipitation of any slag incident to the combustion, and retards the movement of the products of combustion from the firebox, thus insuring a more complete combustion and a lower temperature of the gases when they do leave the fire-box.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a locomotive firebox having an approximately horizontal floor and a fire. arch. of a main feed tube below the plancwot' the floor having a plurality of outlets at one end inclined upwardly and forwardly and leading through the floor of the lire-box so as to discharge beneath the fire arch. and having a plurality of converging inlet passages at the other end. and means for supplying powdered coal and air. to the inlet passages. l

:21 The combination with a locomotive firebox having a floor and a fire arch, of a main of converging inlet passages at the other feed tube arranged substantially llOl'lZOn- ,end, and lllfiftlln :Eer snpplymg powdered coal tally below the plane of the floor having a and air to the inlet passages, said last men- 10 plurality of outlets at one end inclined uptiened, means being arranged substantially 5 Wardly and forwardly and leading through vertically nndextending above and below the floor of the firebox so as to discharge the feed tube.

beneath the fire arch, and having a plurality WILLIAM H. STEVENS. 

